Water-supply system for envelope sealing machines



C. D. RYAN Feb. 13, 1945.

4 WATER-SUPPLY SYSTEM FOR ENVELOPE SEALING MACHINES s sheets-'sheet 1 Original Filed Oct. 29, 1940 'vll/1111147111; 1

|NvENToR Commodore D. BY L BjalL im mi #gym/9 ATTORNEYS c. D. RYAN 2,369,314 WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM FOR ENVELOPE SEALING MACHINES Feb. 13, 1945.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Oct. 29, 1940 ,/a Milli...

INVENTOR Commodore 1). AHyun BY LM m14/ @Y /ATTORNEYSM/ Feb. 13, 1945. 1 C@ D RYAN 2,369,314

WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM FOR ENVELOPE SEALING MACHINES @riginal Filed Oct. 29, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENToR Commodore l). Ryan of accurately adjusting the hydrostatic Patented Feb. 13, `1945 WATER-SUPPLY sYsTEMroR Elwin.:ora` sEALnm` MACHINES Cornmodore'D.` Ryan, Los Angeles, Calif., :assigner to 'Comercial Contro ration of` `Delaware ls Corporation, a, corpo- Original `application October 23,151940, SeriaINO. 363358. Divided and this-application August .113, 1942,* Serial No. 454,687` r Y i i `4 C1-aims. ((31,1{91-543) `This invention relates to waterfsupply systems forfenvelope-sealing machines, `and `the like, and has Aas a general object to simplify the construci tionand operationand reducethe` cost `of such devices.` i

This application is a division of the co-pendcontrollingthe path ofthe envelope fflap past the moisteningblade. l i I -Still another objectof theinvention isfto providea simplifiedcontrolling r-rnechanism for-'starting application of` Commodore D.Ryan, Serial Itlis common practice in envelope-sealing ma` ,l

chines to `provide a moistening blade adaptedto contactthe Vgurnmed surfaces ofenvelopes `to be i sealed, and-to feed water theretothrough afthin `slit in the blade. Such devicesrequire a water at a relativelyfexact hydrostatic headsothat the supply system ythatwill deliver water` to the blade water will flowthrough-the slit in theblade in response to capillaryattraction` of agurnined en- 1 velope iiap moving therepast,-but willnot force i .water through the islitwhennoenvelopes are beinf,r moved therepast, u i l It `has been commonlpractice heretofore to `regulate the hydrostatic -head ofthe water inthe moisteningblades by connecting the blade to an open reservoir and to` supply water to the-reservoir fromv an inverted bottle.` The neck lof the bottle normally dipsinto the reservoir but4 as the Water is usedand the level-drops below `a predetermined value, lit permitsfairlto enterthe `bottle and displace additional water from the bottleinto o the reservoir."V i

Raising or lowering `of the'hydrostatic head at the moistening blade was accomplishedby connecting the reservoir to the moistening bladewith a iiexible `rubber tube, and raising Forlowering the reservoir and the bottle as a unit. This was objectionable because thebottle` and the reservoir were fairly heavy and a r,relatively sturdyffand complicated mechanism `was required to adjust-` ing #and stopping `an envelope-sealing machine andregulating the water iflow to thenioisteningi` blade of the machine. l i

The manner in ywhich the foregoing yobjects -ancl features are A obtained i will now be 4explained by describing la particular embodiment `of"tl1e`in Vention in detail, with referenceto the drawings. '3 VIn the drawings: o j

1` Figwll is la verticalsection through =an envelopesealing machine incorporating Ta water `supply system in accordance lwith the invention;

Figure@ is a detail verticalfsection,"takenzsubi stantially in lthe plane II--fII ofrFigure '1, :but

showing the valve vin a i different position; "l

i 1AFig-ure "3` is *ai-detail section, siinilarvto'Figure 12 butshow-ing the valve inf still another position;

Figure f4 `is a: skeletonrvi'ew., partlyilin section,

. taken substantially'alongl the line IVe-IV o'f Figure 1, showing the mechanismfin` inactive poshowing the mechanism lin priming position;

-Figure 16 -is a detail, horizontal fsectionj' taken substantially #inl lthe plane i VL-VI foffFiglire "4;

" 4Figure "7. is `a detailverticalfsection, takenfsubstantially inthe plane LlVII-"VII `o`f Figure Il;

Figure J8 "is o adetail, horizontal section, `taken i substantially in -the 4plane HVIII-j-VIII o of Figably support them forlmovement vertically. `Furthermore, the flexible-rubber tube was undesirable since it was subject in use. i

Aspecific object; of-thepresent invention isto eliminate the necessity of adjustably supporting the entire water reservoir and bottle and provide a simpler and mechanically more? desirable Fway head ooi the water in the moistening blade. l

'In envelope-sealing machines `of the `general type referred to "employing a` moistening blade having .a `slit therein, itis important that the gummed flaps ofthe envelope approach and leave the blade at relatively exact, angles. Afeature ofthe .present invention ,is a particularly simple and eifective jenvelopeiiap guiding structure` for to `injury and i deterioration ure l;

Fig-ure-Qisa detail `ver-tical section, taken-in the-plane IX-V'IX `of Figure aand i i *Figure "110is -a detail,verticaldsection,ytaken in the plane X-X -of- Figur-e8.

a portion of an envelope-sealing mach-ine incorporati-ng a feedtable l oalongwhich the ,bodies of envelopes` are "adaptedf-togsllide. -Thisltable o l has an exposed -edge 2f which separatesf-theiiaps of the A,envelopes from Atheir "bodies,` the-gummed `surfaces 'of theenvelopes-Inoving1pasta lmoisten;

ing `blade 3, which, as `shown tobest advantage in Figure 9, has a central passage4'1'illed-`witli water anda narrowslit 5 inllits undersur-face througnwhich the water exudes onto-thegurnmed surfaces of the yenvelope flaps'as theyare moved therebelow. The generalconstruction-as -so far described is old, Ythe l present l kinvention residing indetailsoof adjustmentandf the method. of snpliin theflbladef-B.

, llhe machine includes Sfr rilel elements HLII and I 2, `which are inoiixeddrelationfto leach other and support the flap-meistening mechanism. The moistening blade 3 is guidingly supported on the frame elements for lateral sliding movement (with reference to Fig. l) into and out of oper.- ative position. Thus it is secured to a supporting member I l having a handle I5 thereon. When the bladeS a-nd the member I4 are moved to the left (with reference to Fig. 1) as far' as they will go, they are releasably locked in this position by a latch I6 which is pivotally supported on the frame and carries at its outer end a large roller Il which engages in a recess I8 in the handle I5..

As clearly shown in Fig. 1, the latch I is curved `an'd it is formed of resilient material so that it can yield suiiiciently to permit the roller' II to be moved along the handle I5 into the recess I8.

The central passage 4 in the blade 3 communicates with a passage I9 in the supporting member i4, and when the supporting member is in operating position in the machine, as shown in Figure 1, passage I9 communicates with a passage 20 in a hollow bracket 2|, which is removably supported on the frame member I I. A water-tight connection between the member I4 and the hollow bracket 2| is insured by interposing a resilient gasket A22 between the members I4 and 2|, respectively.

The manner in which the bracket 2| is detachably mounted on the frame member II is shown in Figure 8. AThus there is formed integrally with the bracket 2| a cross member 24 which is secured by nuts 25 to the ends of a pair of studs 26-26, the studs being screwed into the frame member II. By simply removing the nuts 25 the bracket may be removed from the machine.

Referring now-to`Figure 9, which shows the body 2l of an envelope positioned above the table I and the flap 28` of the envelope positioned below the moistening blade 3, it will be observed that the flap 28 is supported on each side of the moistening blade by a pair of rods 2.9-29, and these rods are so positioned that their upper surfaces are' slightly above the level of the lowermost part of the moistening blade 3 so that the envelope flap 28 is pressed against the moistening blade as it passes thereunder. vThe purposeof these rods 29-29 is to provide a readily adjustable structure for supporting the envelope flaps in the proper position relative to the slit 5 in the moistening blade 3, to accurately control the amount of water to be deposited upon the gummed surface of the flap passing across the slit 5 of the sealing blade.

In accordance `with the present invention, a simple and accurate adjustment of the rods 29 is ,provided for by eccentrically mounting these rods on the bracket 2|. Thus as shown in Figure 8, each rod 29 has a reduced end section 30 which is eccentrically disposed with respect to the axis of the rod 29, and is'tted in a mounting hole 3| in an upward extension 3,2 of the bracket 2|.. By rotating each rod 29 about its eccentric extension 3U, it may be adjusted into a desired position of elevation and then locked in that position by tighteninga nut 33 threaded on the free end of the extension 30.

The adjustment of the rods 29-29, as shown in Figure 9, is set for normal operation on average envelopes, but should a greater amount of water be desired on the gummed surface of the flap, the left rod 29, may be adjusted so that the flap leaves the moistening blade at a flatter angle. If less water is required, the left rod 29 may be v adjusted in the opposite direction.

regulating the tension of the envelope flap as it passes across the moistening' blade slit 5.

In practice the rods 29 can be quickly adjusted for normal operation by removing thev bracket 2| from the machine and setting the rods to predetermined positions by means of gauges.

The axes of the extensions 39 are parallel to the axes of the rods 29, although offset therefrom, so that regardless of the positions of adjustment of the rods 29, they always lie at the same angle relative to the moistening blade 3.

Referring to Figure 9, each envelope is moved from left to right along the table I, with the body ofv they envelope 21 on the table I and the flap 28 of the envelope below the table. As each envelope is initially started along' the table I, its flap extends substantially vertically downward, and means must be provided for bending the iiap upwardly into the approximately horizontal position shown in Figure 9. Of course after the ap reaches and' passes above the rods 29, the latter hold the ap up against the moistening blade 3. r1 "o initially bend the flaps upwardly, and enter them over the first rod 29, a deecting vane IIlI is provided.

As shown in Figures 8 and 9, this vane IIlI is Ainclined upwardly toward the upper surface of the right rod 29 and has a concave curved leading edge |02 against which the edges of the downwardly extending envelope flaps bear so that as the envelopes advance from left to right, the aps are folded upwardly, and directed over the right rod 29, then under the moistening blade 5 and overthe left rod 29. As the envelopes are fed along the table they are guided in the horizontal plane, by contact of the flap edge of the envelope against a vertical guide plate |94 (Figs. 1 and 8). The vane IIJI may be conveniently mounted on this guide plate |04 by providing the vane with a downwardly bent flange |05 which lies flat against the guide plate |04 and is secured thereto as by screws |06. y

The rear, or trailing, edge Vlill of the vane ISI extends the full length olf the rods 29 to facilitate the guiding of selectively wide envelope flaps to the moistening blade 5.

As previously indicated, the bracket 2| is hollow and serves to conduct rwater to the moistening blade. This water is supplied from an inverted bottle 35 (Fig. 1) which bottle is supported on the left end of the bracket 2|. Thus the bracket 2| has at its left end an upstanding portion 316 having a vertical passage 31, which passage is open at the top and slidably receives the lower end of a valve housing 38 secured to the neck of the bottle 35, as at 38a. This valve housing 38 defines at its upper end (as shown in Figure 1) a valve seat 39 adapted to be closed by a valve 4!) on the upper end of a valve stem 4I, which is slidably supported in apertures 42 and 43 in the valve housing 38. The valve 4i) is provided solely for the purposev of permitting removal and replacement of the water bottle 35, in inverted position as shown, without leaking. Thus whenever the bottle is in operative position, as shown in Figure 1, the lower end of the valve stem 4I rests on a projection 44 in the bracket 2| `which lifts l escoge-M i i tted in an open top vertical hole in the bracket member 2 l, offset fromvthe neck of the bottle 35,` This hole communicates at one side through a horizontal passage 49 with` the. passage 31x inthe upstanding portion `ofthe bracket. leading into the bottle 35. The valve Vsleeve 'i411 is; open at` the` top and has secured thereto a vcrankarm 50 through which it can` be rotated through approxi-- mately 80.

.This sleeve -41 has` a port therein which is moved into andout of registrationiwith the `pas-- sage I49 in response to oscillation of the sleeve 41V by the orankarm` 50 It` will bev observed from` Figure 3 that the'port v51| has. a sloping upper edge 52 which merges at` its upper end into a slot or notch 53. o.

When the `valve sleeve 41 `:isl in oneextreme position of oscillation, as shown in. Figure 1, the port 5I is completely out of registration with the passage 49 so that there is no path for the entry of air into the bottle 35 through tlie'valve.` Hence although air already in the hollowbracket 2| would flow upwardly in the bottle 35 anddisplace a limited amount of water down into the hollow bracket, the highest level `of water in the hollow.l bracket would be substantially as indicated at 54; which is below the level of the lowest part ofthe slit in the moistening blade, the latterlevel being indicated at` 55. Therefore, fwith the valve adjusted tothe position shownin Figure 1, water will not be delivered from the bottle 35 through the hollow bracket 2l and discharged fromthe moistening blade.

When it is desired to start. operations, the 'valve crank 5U is rotatedthrough substantially `80 `by a mechanism to be described later, which brings the slotted portion 53 of `the port l5| into `registration with the passage 4S, thereby providing a free path fjor the entryof air down through thevalve sleeve and through the slot 53 and passage 49 into thel bottle 35. Air enters the bottle and displaces water therefrom until the water level in the hollow bracket reaches the upper end` of the slot 53, las shown in Figure 3. As is clearly apparent from Figure l, the water levelunder` these conditions is above the level yof the moistening blade 3', "the the moistenin-g blade slit, so that a slight head of `water is provided at the slit. With the optimum adjustment of the water level', the hydrostatic head at the moistening `blade slit is sufcient to feed water freely through the slit 5 in response to the capillary attraction of a gummed flap there-` against, but isl insufficient to cause 'water `to leak through the slitwhen no envelope `flaps are in contact therewith. Under certain conditions, as

when sealingenvelopes having very large gummedareas, it may bedesirable torotate the valve sleeve 41 into position to raise the level of 'the water somewhat above thelevel shown in Figure 2, and insure a freer flow through the slit of the moistening bladeonto thefiap of the envelope.

Obviously, the length of the inclined edge 52` andthe angle of this edge may be varied to pro- `vide as great a range of water level :as may be necessary under the conditions of operation for which the machine is intended.` l

|At the completion of a run of the machine, the valve sleeve 411 is again rotated into shut-off po sition, as shownfin Figure 1, thereby preventing leakage of water through the moistening blade.

The valve 41 is rotated through a suitable mechanism by a control handle 60, which handle also controls the starting and stopping of thepower mechanism of the machine.

Thus the `handleulll `is mounted on the right end of a shaft `ll `whichl is journaled in bearings 62 and 63 in the frame members I2 and l l, respectively; There is mountedon the rear end of the shaft 8| a, crankarm 64 which is connected by a pin "and slotconnecti'on `to the lower end of` a lever `65 (Figure 4) fulcrumed near its center by a screw- 86, to the frame member Il. At its upper end, the lever 55 is pivotally connected by a screw 61f to one end of a link 68, the other endof which is slidable along a horizontal' guide bar 12 which is supported on the frame member Il. Thusthe link 68- may be formed of sheet metal and have a wing 6`9- (Figure 6)' extending forwardlyover the guide 1 2 and then down, to forma lip 18 (Figure 1) bearing against the front face of the guide `12.

The link 68 has another, bifurcated wing 1i 'exlevel of the latter being indicated by the line 51 in rocked back into a position such as that shown in Figure 2, in which only al portion of the port .5l`

underlying the sloping edge 52 is'registered with the `passage l49. This prevents further-#entry of air into the bottle 35 until thewater level in the' passage 49 drops to the highest portion of the edge 52, registering with theA passage4`9. As the water is used up during the operation of the maa chine', additional air will enter as necessary to maintain the water level *at the upper edge 52 of theport. i i

l ing position last described andv shown inFigure 3 only for a moment. ."I'hereaftenjthe sleeve is` The sloping upper ed`ge^52 ofthe port 5i peri mits a fine adjustment of the water level' in the` moistenin-gl blade. It `will bepbSerVed-froin Figure 21 that with the-valve adjusted las' shown therein,

tending rearwardly from the wing 69 and defining a slot 13A which receives an upwardly extending crank 14 on the crank-arm 50.

'It will be apparentfrom the foregoing description that in response to oscillation' ot the handle 6D, the crankarm 5I! and the valvesleeve 41 will be oscillated. i a

`As has been previously indicated, the handle B0 also preferably controls aswitch forlstarting and stopping the motor that powers the sealing machine. Referring to Figure 1`, such a switch is indicated at 8D, and is of the toggle type, having a bifurcated handle 8l adapted to be intercepted by a crankpin 82 on a hub member 83 pinned to the shaftl; When the handle isin Off position,v

(in the position shown in *Figure` 7), the switch handle 8| is in clockwise position. 'Io` start the machine, the operator rocks the handle 60 clockwise through approximately During the initial portion of this movement, the pin 82 `rocks the switch handle 8l counterclockwise to start the motor of the machine, after which the pin 82` leaves the slot in the bifurcatedhandle 8 I. When the machine is to be shut clown, the handle `BIJ is rockedicounterclockwise back into its original position, andduring the iinal portion of this motion the pin82 `again: engages the bifurcatedfhandle 8|; and rocks the .handleinto-WCJITW position.

for normal mnningtheuppermost portion ofthe open` portie veryI slightlya'bove the level 51""of In the two extreme positions of the handle 6l) a. pointer 60a thereon abuts against stop pins 60h and Stic, respectively.

It was previously stated, in connection with the description of the valve, that when the machine is started, the valve 41 is rotated through its full range of movement to carry the slot 53 (Figure l) into registration with the passage 49, and then the valve is retractedto bring the valve port into running position, as shown in Figure 2. In order to prevent the valve from being` left in starting position, which Awould waste water, a spring mechanism is provided to automatically rock the shaft 6l away from starting position whenever the handle 6U is released. Thus referring to Figure 1,A

there is mounted on the hub 83 `a disc 85 cooperating with a spring detent ball 86 which is supported on a bracket 8l secured to the frame of the machine, the bracket 81 also supporting the electric switch 8l). Referring to Figures 4 and 5, the disc 85 has three detent notches 88, 89 and 90, and a straight rise 9|. When the handle 60 is in .Oi position, as shown in Figure 4, the ball detent 86 is in the notch 38. The operator first rocks the handle B clockwise until rotation is stopped by abutment of the pointer 60a against the stop pin tftllpin which position the rise 9| on disc 85 depresses the ball detent 8G. The parts are then in the position shown in Figure 5, and the ballfdetent 85 is constantly exerting a force tending to reverse the handle B0. If the operator then releases the handle, the detent will reverse the disc 85 and the shaft El sufficiently to carry the slot 53 (Fig. 1) of the valve sleeve 55 clear ofthe passage 49, but with the highest portion of the sloping edge 52 in registration with the passage 49, thereby providing the maximum working flow of water. If a smaller flow is desired, the operator rocks the handle 60 back to bring either the notch 90 or the notch 89 into engagement with the ball detent St. In'ordinary practice, three positions of adjustment involving the notches 89, 90 and the straight rise SI provide a suicient latitude of adjustment. Obviously, however, if desired, a larger amount of smaller detent notches could be provided, to give a finer adjustment.

particular construction 'shown without departing from the invention, which is to be limited only to the extent set forth in the appended claims.

f I claim:

LA device for moistening the adhesive portion of an envelope flap or the like comprising, in combination, a'moistening blade across which the gummed surface of the envelope iiap is drawn for'moistening, a bracket mounted adjacent said moistening blade, a pair of lingers disposed on opposite sides of and below said blade for respectively guiding the envelope nap to said blade and for directing the iiap as it leaves said blade, one end of each of said fingers extending into said bracket andv having its axis eccentric to the axis of its ringer, saidl nnger ends being rotatable within said bracket whereby the vertical positions ofk said fingers may be adjusted by rotation of said iinger ends to control the langles, of approach and departure of the envelope flap as it passes through said device to control the amount of uid deposited upon the gummed surface thereof.`

2. A device for moistening the adhesive portion of an envelope flap or the like comprising, in combination, a moistening blade across which the summed surface of the envelope flap is drawn for moistening, a bracket mounted ladjacent said moistening blade, a pair of lingers disposed on opposite sides of and below said blade for respectively guiding the envelope flap to said blade and for directing the ap as it leaves said blade,

` Summarizing the operation of the machine,

clockwise movement of the handle Si) from the 01T position shown in Figure 4 into priming position shown in Figure 5, actuates the switch 8l tc start the motor of the machine and oods the moistening blade to eliminate all air therefrom and insure immediate operation thereof. 'Thereafter release of the handle E!! permits it to automatically be retracted by the straight cam surface 9| and the ball detent 85 into working position of `maximum now. Further manual retraction of the handle to bring one of thenotches 9i) or 89 into engagement with the ball detent 86 reduces the flow of water to the moistening blades. During the adjusting movements of the handle 60 to regulate the flow of water, the pin 82 is beyond the point of Contact with the bifurcated switch handle 8i and does not ai'ect the switch. When the machine is to be shut down, the handle is simply rocked back into starting position, as shown in Figure 4, which returns the switch handle 8l to Orf position, as shown in 7, and completely closes the valve sleeve 41.

Although for the purpose of explaining the invention a speciiic embodiment thereof, has been described in substantial detail, it is-to be Aunderstood that various changes may be ,made in the one end of each of said fingers extending into said bracket and having its axis eccentric to the axis of its linger, said linger ends being rotatable within said bracket'whereby the vertical positions of said fingers may be adjusted by rotation of said linger ends to control the angles of approach and departure of the envelope iiap as it passes through said device to control the amount offiuid deposited `upon the gummed surface thereof, and means for securing said ngers in their adjusted positions.

3. A device for moistening the adhesive portion of an envelope iiap orthe like comprising, in combination, a moistening blade across which the gummed surface of the envelope flap is drawn for moistening, a pair of ngers disposed on opposite sides of and below said blade for respectively guiding the envelope flap to said blade and for directing the nap as it leaves said blade, the axes of said lingers being horizontal, mounting means for said ngers, one end of each of said fingers extending into said mounting means, the aXis of the finger end being displaced from the axis of the rest of the nger so that each of said fingers may be rotated about the axis of its extending end to vary the vertical position thereof relative to said moistening blade without, however, moving the axis ofthe linger so adjusted out of a horizontal plane, whereby the vertical positions of said fingers maybe adjusted to control the angles of approach and departure of the envelope nap as it passes lthrough said device to control the amount of fluid deposited upon the gummed Surface thereof. l

4. A device for moistening the adhesive portion of an envelope iiap or the like comprising, in combination, amoistening blade across which the gummed surface of the envelope ap is 'drawn for moistening, a pair of fingers disposed on opposite sides of and below said blade for respectively guiding the envelope flap to said blade and for directing the flap as it leaves said blade, the

axis of each of said fingers lying in a plane, mounting means for said fingers, one end `of each of said `ngers extending -into said mounting means, the axis of the finger end being displaced from the axis of the rest of the ngerso that each of said ngers may be rotated about the axis of its extending end to move the other axis of said finger into another plane spaced from but parallel to the plane of the original axis position thus to vary the vertical position of thernger relative to said moistenng blade, whereby the positions of said ngers relativeto said moistening blade may be adjusted to control the angles `of approach and `departure of the envelope flap as it passes through said device to control theamount of fluid deposited `upon the gummed surface thereof.

, COMMODORE D. RYAN. 

